I’ve made a career out of studying and knowing as much as possible about folks from generations other than mine, and I wouldn’t be alive without the connections to folks significantly younger than me. Plus, much like my dad was, I’m blessed with a somewhat youthful-looking face that now that’s it’s unencumbered by greying hair or dozens of chins often fools people into thinking I’m a lot less old than I actually am. So while I can go tooth and nail with just about anyone with details about decades-old events and personalities since I was actually around for it, I’m one who is far more fascinated and invigorated by what lies ahead and the experiences of those looking forward to it.
So I’ll be one of the last people to judge a septuagenarian football coaching legend like Bill Belichick for now having a partner like the 24-year-old ex-cheerleader and beauty contest entrant Jordan Hudson. And I definitely won’t react the way some of his allegedly well-meaning friends, colleagues and family members seem to be as they see this relationship go more public. We are not privy to their conversations, and we have certainly never been behind closed doors with them. Say this much: he did play the game, and we know there are certain attributes ex-athletes have that can be appreciated by multiple generations.
But this week, on the heels of yet another CBS News-produced story that seemed to have taken some sort of editorial license and the oversharing via social media of what transpired, far more people than who may have actually watched the piece produced for a Sunday morning news show that’s primarily viewed by folks even older than Belichick have voiced an opinion about the nature of their relationship, and in particular how someone with the track record and repuation that Belichick produced–a no-nonsense, fiercely determined and at times stubborn leader who has won a record six Super Bowl trophies is now seemingly under the spell of the enchanting Ms. Hudson.
The LOS ANGELES TIMES’ Steve Henson dropped a blow-by-blow account of the evolution of this power couple yesterday, particularly the scenario that played out last weekend:
Belichick consented to an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning,” ostensibly to promote his book, “The Art of Winning: Lessons From My Life in Football,” scheduled to be released Tuesday. About six minutes into the eight-minute segment, interviewer Tony Dokoupil mentions Hudson in a voiceover, saying: “Jordon was a constant presence during our interview.”
The interview proceeds with a shot showing Hudson seated at a desk in front of a monitor a few feet from Belichick and Dokoupil.
You have Jordon right over there, everybody in the world seems to be following this relationship,” Dokoupil said, with the camera locked on Hudson seated off the set. “How did you guys meet?”
“We’re not talking about this,” Hudson loudly blurts out before Belichick can respond. It was one of several instances where Hudson interrupted the interview.
All of this has now prompted an entire round of forensic analysis as to exactly what Hudson is doing in Belichick’s life–and speculation as to why. THE ATHLETIC has glommed onto this almost as much as their New York newspaper rival does with their Page Six features, with Henson again supplying context:
The Athletic obtained emails through an open records request that document Belichick requesting that Hudson be copied on certain correspondence at North Carolina. The 44 pages of emails address his concerns about social media attacks and the optics of hiring his son, Steve, as defensive coordinator. Hudson is not an employee of the university, according to the public records request.
“It is really worth emphasizing the point that Steve has the experience of being a COLLEGE defensive coordinator and will bring a plethora of knowledge to the coaching staff,” Hudson wrote of the former defensive coordinator at the University of Washington. Hudson’s involvement included a request that staff scrub negative comments about Belichick on the football page of the university website.
And they further noted that not all of Hudson’s “involvements” have necessarily produced favorable results:
The Athletic also reported that Hudson “played an instrumental role” in stopping the production of a “Hard Knocks” docuseries on the North Carolina program this fall only a few days after an agreement had been reached. In a December 2024 email to North Carolina officials, Hudson identified herself as the chief operating officer of Belichick Productions, although the Athletic could not find evidence of the company’s existence.
NFL Films was scheduled to begin filming March 1, but two days later, the NFL sent an email to North Carolina’s counsel confirming that showmakers “will not proceed with the production of the Belichick project.”
It’s effectively divided those willing to offer opinions almost as distinctly as any political topic. Charles Curtis of FOR THE WIN documented how some less shy folks are reacting:
On an Instagram post from Julian Edelman’s podcast, comedian Nikki Glaser defended the actions of Hudson, who interrupted the CBS interview of Belichick (reportedly, more than once): “She’s acting as his publicist. Publicists do this during interviews. People are out for blood. But an Instagram account belonging to Jennifer Belichick — wife of Bill’s son Steve — had this to say: “Publicists act in a professional manner and don’t ‘storm’ off set delaying an interview.
And PATRIOTSWIRE’s Jordy McElroy offered up how the ever-opinionated Boston media is reacting:
Former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson believes the Bill Belichick era in North Carolina might already be going off the rails before it officially gets on the tracks.
On “WEEI Afternoons Tuesday,” the three-time Super Bowl champion suggested the Tar Heels consider firing Belichick, following the 73-year-old coach’s 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, releasing a private email to the public and an awkward interview on “CBS Mornings.”. “I think the Carolina Tar Heels should consider firing Bill Belichick,” Johnson said. “They should consider letting him go at this point. …I just think, just what you’ve seen so far. The behaviors with Jordon, that dynamic, her being on the football field, her kind of just, I think, embarrassing Bill.
And even THE ATHLETIC’s own coverage appears to be passing judgement, with Henson quoting a column authored by his competitor Steve Buckley from Wednesday:
“If the plan here was to portray Belichick as cool, what with his social media-savvy girlfriend fending off the old-school, on-set question asker, then the plan failed. Belichick instead came across as somebody who needed saving. And it’s hard watching this interview while defending Belichick as the ever-vigilant micromanager who misses nothing”.
As my own bestie has frequently observed, reactions like that seem to be coming from folks who are in far different places in their own lives, and can’t help but be jealous when someone somehow inexplicably finds a source of energy that Belichick seems to. And the knee-jerk reaction, as certainly the tabloid-like obsession with this May-October couple indicates, would seem to pivot to what I’ve previously mused is the power of the poussoir.
But in looking at another intermingling of a pre-Boomer and a Gen Zer in the news this past week, one might be able to see that it’s perhaps some other force at work. HUFF POST’s improbably-named recapped that yesterday:
Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville went head-to-head with Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, slamming Hogg over his approach to securing wins for the party in upcoming elections.
Tensions between Carville and Hogg mounted last month when the 25-year-old’s organization, Leaders We Deserve, announced plans to spend $20 million to elect younger Democratic primary challengers in traditionally safe, blue districts.
“What we’re saying is we need to make room for a new generation to step up and help make sure that we have the people that are most acutely impacted by a lot of the issues that we are legislating on — that are actually going to live to see the consequences of this,” Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting, told The New York Times. Hogg’s message did not sit right with the 80-year-old Carville, who called the plan “the most insane thing” in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“Does he really think the problem that we’re facing in the United States today is because we got 65-year-old Democrats in office? Why don’t you take on a Republican? That’s your job,” Carville said.
“You want my strategy? It’s to win elections,” Carville told Hogg on Wednesday’s episode of “The Tara Palmeri Show.”
Things escalated from that point, with Carville eventually exasperatetly exclaiming Hogg’s plan to vote out sitting Democrats (is)“jackassery of the highest level.” “There’s no nuance to it,” Carville said. “It’s just flat-out wrong. That’s money that could be used to beat Republicans.”
I’ve gone on record saying I’m intrigued by Hogg for the very reasons that Carville is taking issue with. We need out-of-the-box thinking more than ever. But I’ve had more than a few otherwise well-meaning friends point out privately that to them Hogg is inexperienced and, to them, too emotionally driven.
Arguably, it appears so too is Jordan Hudson. And maybe the common ground besides their age cohort is their passion.
When I was most recently teaching college students–ironically, a few who actually were Hogg’s Parkland classmates–they would repeatedly ask me what direction I thought they should steer their career paths in. I repeatedly advised “Pursue your passion. You can’t fake that, and that will earn you gravitas with those you’re hoping to be colleagues with–or even someday replace. You might make a few missteps, but you’re more likely to learn if it’s about something you really care about”.
I’m willing to believe whatever Hudson may be doing is with noble intent until proven otherwise. So, too, is Hogg. And as the HUFF POST’s Neammannee concluded, no matter how apart some of us may be at one point, there’s opportunity for more common ground than first blush might portend:
The two eventually found some areas of agreement, including their belief that President Joe Biden should have dropped out of the 2024 presidential election sooner. Hogg said he regrets not calling for Biden to drop out in 2023, something Carville said he did in 202
“Don’t feel bad,” Carville said. “If I would have been you, I would have never done this, if I’d have been 25 years old and wanted some future in Democratic politics. I was able to do it because there was nothing they could do to me.”
As Carville reassured Hogg, Palmeri exclaimed, “Aw!”
Carville praised Hogg on X following the episode, writing, “The DNC needs him”.
Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned there for the Belichicks.
Until next time…